Tomorrow at a Climate Change
Conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, the Global Lead Advice and Support
Service (GLASS), run by an Australian Charity (The LEAD Group) will tackle
two huge issues: climate change and lead.

“In addition to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, governments should be developing strategies to
stop the spread of contamination of lead mining and smelting wastes which
will occur as a result of the predicted regional intensified
rainfall/flooding and dust-storms due to aridity,” says Elizabeth
O’Brien, Manager of GLASS.

“Since the majority of the
world’s current population has probably had a blood lead level (during
their childhood) above 10 micrograms per decilitre (which reduces IQ by 7.4
points), it is more than appropriate that the current Climate Change era of
out-of-control consumerism has been named “The Age of Stupid”.“

“As if adding lead to petrol
(“The Mistake of the 20th Century”) wasn’t enough, lead poisoning
continues to be a global problem with more lead mined every year, mainly due
to ever-increasing lead acid battery demand for the planet’s runaway
vehicle population and alternative power storage. “

GLASS recommendations include:
taxing hydrocarbons used in transportation and stricter regulation of
combustion of materials that may contain lead; toughening of diesel
emissions standards; raising awareness of the need to add insulation to
buildings after removing leaded ceiling dust and recycling it for its lead
content; researching biosequestration or chemical stabilization of lead
waste; taxing lead mining to encourage recycling; banning leaded AvGas
(aviation fuel for propeller aircraft), and in the developing world,
regulating (and policing) to prevent lead diversion from lead acid batteries
to reprehensible and potentially fatal uses eg food or drug additives,
children’s toys, jewellery and crafts.

To reduce total fuel combustion, it
is vital for individuals to join 10:10 Global ( www.1010global.org
) and convince their affiliated organisations, councils, state and federal
governments to join up their organisations to reduce carbon emissions by 10%
by 2010.